Forget multiple mixing bowls, stand mixers and food processors. Pastry chef and recipe developer Yvonne Ruperti has simplified some of her favourite recipes; they can each be hand mixed in a single bowl. She shares the collection of more than 100 recipes in One Bowl Baking (Running Press, 2013), with muffins, scones, cookies, cupcakes, cakes and tarts all well represented. Some of the recipes in the book don’t even require a bowl, such as the Apple Crisp Mix-in-the-pan Bars, which is assembled directly in the pan.

The method of one-bowl mixing is more nuanced than a “dump and stir” mixing method, Ruperti points out in One Bowl Baking. “Ingredients are added and mixed in the bowl in an order, and in a specific way, depending on what is being made.” As Ruperti clarifies in the book, one-bowl mixing works perfectly for many recipes but won’t work for all baking. She gives the examples of “a reverse creamed cake or super light and airy cakes such as sponge cakes, chiffon cakes and angel food cakes.” These airy cakes require incorporating air into the batter or eggs, which would give you quite the workout without the aid of an electric mixer.

PHOTOS: Running Press/Perseus Books Group Yvonne Ruperti shares more than 100 recipes in One Bowl Baking, with muffins, scones, cookies, cupcakes, cakes and tarts all well represented.

Ruperti has more than 15 years of professional experience baking in restaurants, test kitchens (including America’s Test Kitchen in Boston), and her own bakery. When she was at work, she followed recipes and wouldn’t give complex steps a second thought but her home baking was quite different. She took shortcuts that worked for her, including not setting up mise en place (setting up all your ingredients before you start), and cutting out unnecessary implements and equipment.

“I either didn’t have a mixer because I moved around a lot, or I had a small kitchen or just didn’t feel like going through the whole process. I found out that even when I was taking those shortcuts, it worked out,” Ruperti says in an interview. “A lot of the recipes work out just as well and I got to thinking that when it comes to scratch baking, it really doesn’t get much easier than just putting all the ingredients in a bowl and stirring it together.”

One-bowl mixing is a great solution for those new to home baking, or anyone who likes to keep things simple in the kitchen. You can use natural ingredients, and have the satisfaction of scratch baking without complicated methods. Ruperti says, “I think that [home cooks] envision this all-day process and tons of steps and all this measuring, and so what I’ve tried to do with the book is try to simplify the whole baking process so that it’s less intimidating and more accessible.”

Recipes

Fudgy Walnut Brownie Cookies

PHOTO: Running Press/Perseus Books GroupFudgy Walnut Brownie Cookies

The name says it all. What makes these cookies perhaps better than a brownie (if that’s even possible?) is that they bake in a fraction of the time that a pan of brownies take, so you’ll be biting into that moist and chocolaty brownie satisfaction that much sooner. A chocoholic’s dream cookie. Store in an airtight container up to three days.

Makes 12 (3 1/2-inch) cookies

4 tablespoons (2 ounces or 55 grams) unsalted butter, cut into cubes

4 ounces (115 grams) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup (7 ounces or 200 grams) granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup (5 ounces or 140 grams) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup walnuts (3 ounces or 85 grams), chopped, divided

Place an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

In a large heatproof bowl heat the butter and chocolate to just melted, stirring frequently.

Stir in the sugar, salt, and vanilla. Stir in the eggs, one a time, until completely mixed in.

Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl, then stir to combine. Stir in half of the chopped walnuts.

Scoop the batter into 12 balls, spacing evenly on the pan. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts over the top of each cookie.

Bake until the cookies are puffed, cracked, and barely set, about 8 minutes. Do not over-bake.

Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Juicy Mango-Raspberry Crumble Tart

Sweet mango and tart raspberries are absolutely scrumptious together in this juicy and buttery tart. For best results, make sure the mangos are ripe. You can use either a ceramic tart pan or a pan with removable sides. The textures of this tart are best the day that it’s made.

Place an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the butter and toss with your fingertips until the mixture forms moist crumbs. Place 2 1/4 cups (12 ounces or 340 grams) of the crumb mixture into the pan. Firmly press into the bottom and up the sides. Reserve the remaining crumb mixture (about 3/4 cup).

Spread the raspberry preserves into the tart and then top with the mango slices and fresh raspberries. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top.

Bake until the crust and streusel is a deep golden brown, about 35 to 45 minutes.

Let the tart cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then remove the sides to allow it to finish cooling.

Extracting the flesh from a mango can be tricky. Once peeled, it becomes a slippery football. Instead, I slice each of the fleshy sides from the pit (with the skin on) and slice each piece in three strips lengthwise. Then with the flesh side up, I slip a sharp paring knife between the skin and the flesh, and slice the flesh off. After, I slice off the remaining strips from the pit and slice the flesh from the skin.

Banana Bourbon Cake with Bourbon Whipped Cream

This snack cake is a variation of a banana layer cake that I’ve baked for years. The texture is moist, with a nice crunch from the walnuts. When I lived in Boston, no get-together with friends was complete without a bottle of bourbon, so I added a healthy dose to this cake, for good measure of course. Serve with a dollop of bourbon whipped cream on top or on the side. And if you prefer, the bourbon can be omitted and substituted with 1/3 cup milk. Wrap well and store at room temperature up to three days.